I Love Gigging!

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

14 hours ago, TheRev said:

If I didn't gig I probably wouldn't play.  I don't enjoy the stuff that goes either side of gigs - the 2 hour drives, unloading & setup, or waiting around forever for the soundcheck, but once I get on stage, all that's forgotten. Making music with like minded people and entertaining a room full of punters at the same time is the best thing in the world.

I guess we all experienced what it would be like not to gig for an extended period of time courtesy of Lockdown #1. Personally, it turned out to be the creation of another new band for me and we’re really enjoying it. We rehearsed ourselves to gig readiness on JamKazam and were ready to go by the time restrictions were lifted.

 

Glad to hear there’s lots of positivity for gigging. I do have an occasional worry about how long I have left as a gigging musician, but if the gigs keep coming in, I’ll keep turning up.

[BassAdder60]

I love gigging too, especially if you are in a band with great buddies and you enjoy it.

 

Ive also found you learn a lot about your gear and tone gigging more so than at home or rehearsals!

 !

 

With over 35yrs experience in live music and bands I did think I would of packed it all in by now ! 

Edited May 9, 2022 by BassAdder27

[SteveH]

Love gigging, love the buzz,  before, and after a gig, the band locking in, the power of the bass and drums, the whole band nailing it, taking a step back sometimes and listening to the whole band, and individual musicians, that I respect, and thinking, this sounds superb. Of seeing the audience dancing, the applause, the friends you make, the camaraderie, amongst your band members. There is so much I love about gigging, I've been doing it for over 40 years and I still love it.

I don't love unloading my gear at 3 o'clock in the morning when it's pouring down, on a freezing cold night in January! But surely that's a small price to pay, for some of the best times of my life.

[Downunderwonder]

I'll never forget the guttural roar that came back at us when the half cut crowd realised we were opening with Born to be Wild.

[jimmyb625]

Yep, I'm firmly in the "love gigging" camp.

 

In fact, any sort of live performance, whether it involves playing, being on stage acting, running sound for bands/plays/musicals, stage managing or driving the lighting desk. All of them hit the spot for me. I think it's something to do with the immediacy of it, you get one chance to make it work.

[TheRev]

On 10/05/2022 at 20:59, jimmyb625 said:

Yep, I'm firmly in the "love gigging" camp.

 

In fact, any sort of live performance, whether it involves playing, being on stage acting, running sound for bands/plays/musicals, stage managing or driving the lighting desk. All of them hit the spot for me. I think it's something to do with the immediacy of it, you get one chance to make it work.

 

It's odd - I would think twice about attending a 3 day music festival as a punter but would happily work my ar$e off for 3 days doing stage management, monitors or FOH.  I think I prefer to be busy.

[Cat Burrito]

Playing live is a massive part of who I am. I like performing and I also think music is about making a connection. I like rehearsal, I like studio and I am happy playing along with stuff at home but for me there is nothing like connecting onstage with friends and a crowd out front. 

 

It started in a school hall, and over the years it's taken me all over the UK and into Europe. I've made friendships through live stuff and had some unforgettable experiences. I guess that's why I haven't commented in the I hate gigging thread! I do accept it isn't for everyone though and I also accept that people can get burnt out from it. Hopefully I have plenty of life in me yet. 

[chris_b]

What's the best feeling in the world?

 

Playing great gear, in a great band, with great players to a great audience. Oh, and getting paid for having so much fun.

[Gasman]

My three months between bands early this year were hard to take, especially when finding a new band seemed impossible; yes, motivation to practice was hovering near zero and I was thinking “is it worth the hassle of gigging any more?” (driving two hours, setting up, some dodgy venues, the exhaustion on getting home at 3am etc) but then I got gigging again with a band with 50+ gigs this year and I’m back on a high! I’ve gigged for over 50 years and i realise it’s part of what I am, that’s the crux of it, being a performer in front of a crowd who like what you’re doing is the ultimate buzz and I was lost without it.

[Bassfinger]

Excellent rehearsal last night. We're the headline act on jubilee weekend, and I can't chuffing wait.  We've a smaller gig next week to feed the addiction.

[Mudpup]

9 hours ago, chris_b said:

What's the best feeling in the world?

 

Playing great gear, in a great band, with great players to a great audience. Oh, and getting paid for having so much fun.

I would add with great friends to that list.....

 

I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to include all of the above in my band

[Silvia Bluejay]

I've been reading both the Hate Gigging thread and this one, and not been sure where to post! I've now decided to post here.

 

I would hate to gig in a band, because I really don't like performing in public and would never have fun while doing that. I really don't do being the centre of attention, even in those cases where the entire pub is ignoring the band - it's still too anxiety-inducing for my taste.

 

However, I do love gigging in front of the stage, not on it, as the sound engineer and camera operator. I enjoy our days spent assembling new rigs to suit each place we take our bands to, setting up the instruments and the 'scenes' on the mixing desk, testing the lot in the studio, and even setting up and breaking down at the gig (with some exceptions). I also like gig-getting and doing the social media and marketing.

 

As many have said, the real point of the exercise is to allow punters (or club members) to dance and have fun for a few hours. In those places where that doesn't happen, it's really not worth the effort, but you need to try them at least once to identify them, and cross them off your list!

[casapete]

45 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

I would add with great friends to that list.....

 

I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to include all of the above in my band

Absolutely this. I’m also in the enviable position of being friends with everyone I work with 

now. Having had some tough times in the past with great players who were a*seholes ,

being able to get on with your colleagues is such a great feeling, and makes 

being on the road so much easier.

[Lozz196]

11 hours ago, chris_b said:

What's the best feeling in the world?

 

Playing great gear, in a great band, with great players to a great audience. Oh, and getting paid for having so much fun.

The above is pretty much as factual as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

[jimmyb625]

18 hours ago, TheRev said:

 

It's odd - I would think twice about attending a 3 day music festival as a punter but would happily work my ar$e off for 3 days doing stage management, monitors or FOH.  I think I prefer to be busy.

I completely agree with you. I've been lucky enough to do some decent sized festivals with the band I do tech stuff for. There's no way I would go to one now as a punter, I'm too old to be queueing for communal toilets! 🤣

Edited May 13, 2022 by jimmyb625
Too many do's

[Lozz196]

The only festival I think I`d attend as a punter would be Rebellion, the punk festival in Blackpool. It takes place indoors, each stage has a bar and decent (at the start of the day anyway) toilets, and in-house cafes and places to buy ice-creams etc. Us sensible punks & skins know that festivalling in your 50s has to be done in a place of comfort!

[Newfoundfreedom]

20 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

The only festival I think I`d attend as a punter would be Rebellion, the punk festival in Blackpool. It takes place indoors, each stage has a bar and decent (at the start of the day anyway) toilets, and in-house cafes and places to buy ice-creams etc. Us sensible punks & skins know that festivalling in your 50s has to be done in a place of comfort!

 

A good friend of mine is the drummer in a punk band (System of Hate) and he absolutely loves playing Rebellion. 

 

I've seen lots of pictures and videos he's posted over the years, and for a Punk festival it really does look rather civilised. 

[Lozz196]

4 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

A good friend of mine is the drummer in a punk band (System of Hate) and he absolutely loves playing Rebellion. 

 

I've seen lots of pictures and videos he's posted over the years, and for a Punk festival it really does look rather civilised. 

I’m pretty sure we played on the same bill as them a few times, sure I recognise a few of them. 

[Silky999]

I love gigging………it keeps me sane and after 30 years of frontline emergency work shows me that there are still good people who celebrate happy events which balances out the horrors and sub humans that I have dealt with. My 3 band mates are from the same line of work and we all say the same thing…..gigging is the absolute polar experience to what we do as a day job. It’s something I do for me and the band is our little gentleman’s club without aprons and funny handshakes.

For me, it adds the context to all the practice and I can’t imagine playing bass and not performing.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

26 minutes ago, Silky999 said:

I love gigging………it keeps me sane and after 30 years of frontline emergency work shows me that there are still good people who celebrate happy events which balances out the horrors and sub humans that I have dealt with. My 3 band mates are from the same line of work and we all say the same thing…..gigging is the absolute polar experience to what we do as a day job. It’s something I do for me and the band is our little gentleman’s club without aprons and funny handshakes.

For me, it adds the context to all the practice and I can’t imagine playing bass and not performing.

Couldn’t have put it better. Did my time and finished 6 years ago this November.

 

May you enjoy many gigging years to come 🤟

[Rich]

As I said in the other thread:

There are many aspects that are a pain in the derrière, yes. But there were times a couple of years back when I wondered if I'd ever be able to play again. Thankfully I still can, and now I don't care how far the drive, how late the night, how tired the loadout -- I'm in two wonderful bands and loving every second of every gig, simply because I can. And for that I am grateful. 

[Silky999]

3 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Couldn’t have put it better. Did my time and finished 6 years ago this November.

 

May you enjoy many gigging years to come 🤟

Hiram, you lucky devil…..you must’ve got out before the latest pension shambles! Do you miss it or were you in the TJF camp and glad to get out? I can’t wait to go now as work is getting in the way of band practices and gigging lol.

[TimR]

The only time I started not enjoying gigging I realised it was certain members of the band who were making it hard work. I changed band.

 

The only gig I can remember not looking forward to doing was a 'concert in a methodist church hall', with no alcohol, we had been invited to sit with the vicar for a cup of tea during our break. As we were arriving someone was setting the chairs out in rows. As soon as we started soundcheck someone complained we were too loud. 

 

Needn't have worried, someone else came along, moved all the chairs (how is anyone going to dance?), told the person complaining about the volume not to sit in front of the speakers. The hall were all up and dancing from the first song - which has only ever happened to me a handful of times (other than at weddings).

 

Yes, it's why I play.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

7 hours ago, Silky999 said:

Hiram, you lucky devil…..you must’ve got out before the latest pension shambles! Do you miss it or were you in the TJF camp and glad to get out? I can’t wait to go now as work is getting in the way of band practices and gigging lol.

I joined in '86, so retired under the old scheme. As did Mrs.H. The shift work never really caused me any issues. There were a couple of close calls and several dates where I had to take my gear with me to work or I wouldn't have made it in time. Fortunately I had some excellent and accommodating leadership throughout and towards the end I was in a position where I could make sure my gig dates weren't compromised.

[Machines]

First gig in 2 years 2 days ago. Great stage and FOH sound, it would have been the perfect gig had the guitarists Gibson SG not decided to inexplicably die 30 seconds into the first song. Good news - he brought a backup, just had to retune it and was back in about 90 seconds later. In the meantime I jammed around the chords - it was fun !

Edited May 15, 2022 by Machines